GIF Maker

Tool Overview

This tool turns a video into a GIF. You upload one video file. You choose which part of the video to use by setting a start and end time. You pick how smooth the animation is and how big the file is. Then you get a single GIF file to download. Many people want to share a short clip as a GIF. GIFs work in chats, forums, and emails. But making a GIF by hand is hard. You must cut the video, choose frame rate and size, and keep the file small enough for the place you share it. This tool does that in the browser. You upload, set the segment, adjust settings, and download. It is for anyone who needs a quick GIF from a video. Beginners can use the presets. Others can tweak frame rate and resolution.

Background and Concept Explanation

A GIF is a short looped animation. It is made from a sequence of images shown one after another. Video is also a sequence of images. So converting video to GIF means taking a range of frames from the video and saving them as a GIF. The catch is file size. GIFs are often limited on platforms. Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, and email have different limits. Too many frames or too high resolution and the file gets too big. Too few frames and the animation looks choppy. This tool lets you pick the clip, set frame rate and resolution scale, and choose a target platform. It shows an estimated size so you can stay under the limit. An optional step asks a server for suggested frame rate and scale for your target size. The conversion runs in the browser. No video is sent for conversion; only the optional advice step uses a server.

Key Features

• One video at a time. You upload one video by drag and drop or by choosing a file. The file must be a video type (for example MP4, MOV, WebM) and under 50 MB. The tool reads the video length and dimensions. If the file is too big or not a valid video, you see an error. After upload you see a player and a timeline.
• Start and end time. You choose which part of the video becomes the GIF. A timeline shows the full duration. You drag handles to set the start and end. You can also press I to set the start at the current play position and O to set the end. The segment must be at least 0.1 seconds. Start must be before end.
• Frame rate. A slider sets frames per second from 5 to 30. Default is 15. Higher values give smoother animation but a larger file. Lower values give a smaller file but choppier motion.
• Resolution scale. A slider sets scale from 10% to 100%. The GIF size in pixels is the video width and height times this scale. So 50% means half the width and height. Lower scale means smaller file and smaller image.
• Platform presets. You pick a target: Discord (8 MB limit), Slack (10 MB), WhatsApp (16 MB), Email (25 MB), or Custom (no limit check). The tool shows an estimated output size and a bar against the limit. If the estimate is over the limit for that platform, a warning says to reduce frame rate or scale.
• Dithering. A toggle turns dithering on or off. When on, the tool adds subtle noise to smooth color gradients. The help text says it can increase file size. When off, no dithering is applied.
• Loop type in preview. Buttons set how the video preview loops: Normal, Reverse, or Ping-Pong. This only affects how you watch the clip in the player. The exported GIF does not use this; it loops in the normal way.
• AI Optimize. A button asks a server for suggested frame rate and scale for your current preset and video. The server gets duration, width, height, and target size in MB. It returns suggested fps and scale and a short reason. The tool applies the suggestion and shows the reason. If the request fails, the tool uses safe defaults (10 fps, 50% scale) and a message that AI was unavailable.
• Convert and download. You click Convert to GIF. The tool samples frames from start to end at the chosen FPS, scales each frame, optionally dithers, reduces colors to 256, and encodes a GIF. Progress is shown. When done a modal shows the GIF. You can download it (same name as the video but with .gif) or close and change settings.

Common Use Cases

• Share a short clip in Discord or Slack. Pick Discord or Slack preset, set the clip with the timeline, use AI Optimize or lower FPS and scale until the estimate is under the limit, then convert and download.
• Send a reaction GIF by email. Pick Email preset, choose a short segment (a few seconds), reduce scale or FPS if the estimate is over 25 MB, convert and attach the GIF.
• Make a GIF for WhatsApp. Pick WhatsApp preset, trim to the part you want, adjust settings so estimated size is under 16 MB, convert and download.
• Balance quality and size manually. Use Custom preset, set frame rate and scale with the sliders, watch the estimated size, turn dithering on or off, then convert.
• Use the timeline and keyboard. Play the video, press I at the start of the clip and O at the end, then tweak FPS and scale and convert.

How to Use This Tool (Step-by-Step)

1. Open the tool. You see an upload area. Drag a video onto it or click to choose a file. The video must be under 50 MB and a supported video type (e.g. MP4, MOV, WebM). Wait until the video loads. If you see an error, use a smaller or different file.
2. Set the clip. Use the timeline handles to set start and end. Or play the video and press I to set the start at the current time and O to set the end. The segment must be at least 0.1 seconds.
3. Choose a target platform. In the Optimization Coach, select Discord, Slack, WhatsApp, Email, or Custom. The tool shows estimated size and the limit for that platform.
4. Adjust frame rate and scale. Use the Frame Rate slider (5–30 FPS) and the Resolution Scale slider (10–100%). The estimated size updates. If it is over the platform limit, lower FPS or scale until it is under. You can click AI Optimize to get suggested values; the tool will apply them and show the reason.
5. Optional: turn dithering on or off. The toggle is in the Optimization Coach. Dithering can smooth gradients but may increase file size.
6. Convert. Click Convert to GIF. Wait for the progress to finish. Do not close the page.
7. Download. When the modal appears, click Download GIF. The file saves with the same name as your video and a .gif extension. You can also click Make Adjustments to close the modal and change settings.
8. To start over, click Start Over. The video and settings are cleared and you can upload a new video.

Calculations and Logic

The tool estimates output size for display only. It uses the clip duration, the scaled width and height (video size times scale), the number of frames (duration times FPS), and a simple factor based on color count. The result is an approximation so you can compare to the platform limit. The real conversion works like this: the video is played back in memory. At each frame time (start, start + 1/fps, start + 2/fps, … up to end), the tool draws that frame to a canvas at the scaled dimensions. If dithering is on, random noise is added to the pixel data. The pixels are reduced to 256 colors using a palette. The indexed image is encoded as one GIF frame with a delay of 1000/fps milliseconds. All frames are written to one GIF. The output is a single GIF file. The loop type (Normal, Reverse, Ping-Pong) is only used in the preview player; the exported GIF loops in the standard way. Colors are fixed at 256; there is no user control for color count.

Tips, Limitations and Best Practices

Keep the video under 50 MB. Use a short segment (a few seconds) so the GIF stays small and converts quickly. If the estimated size is over your platform limit, lower frame rate or scale first; dithering off can also help. The tool runs in the browser; conversion time depends on segment length, FPS, and resolution. Very long or high-quality settings may take a while.

AI Optimize uses a server. If it fails, you get safe defaults and can still change FPS and scale by hand. Loop type only affects the preview, not the downloaded GIF. The output is always a GIF; you cannot export to another format. One video is converted at a time; there is no batch. For best results pick your platform preset, trim the clip to what you need, then adjust FPS and scale until the estimate is under the limit before you convert.